The Burnout Nobody Talks About

The Position Papers (1/3) | Favourite Positions PodcastBurnout is usually framed as doing too much of what you don’t care about. But what happens when the exhaustion comes from things you genuinely love?In this opening episode of The Position Papers mini-series, Alexandra Young explores a quieter, more complex form of burnout – the kind that exists alongside high engagement, ambition and growth. Drawing on research and her experience of balancing an MBA with a full-time leadership role, she reframes burnout as a design and misalignment problem rather than a personal failure.This episode explores why highly invested people are often most at risk, how competing commitments create hidden strain, and what actually helps when stepping back isn’t realistic or desirable.In this episodeWhy burnout and engagement can exist at the same timeThe difference between working hard and cognitively carrying workHow pace misalignment between individuals and systems creates frictionThe hidden guilt of caring about multiple things at onceWhy traditional burnout advice often misses ambitious, invested peopleBurnout as a design problem rather than a workload problemFive shifts discussedDefining what “good enough” looks like in the current seasonNaming trade-offs out loud instead of carrying them privatelyDesigning recovery before depletionBeing explicit about how you work bestRecognising early personal warning signsKey questions from the episodeIs your current pace chosen or accumulated?What trade-off are you carrying silently?If you redesigned your week around how you actually work best, what would change?Research referencedDHR Global (2024). Workforce Trends Report.Found 82% of workers report burnout while 88% report high engagement, highlighting that burnout and engagement can coexist.Lang, J. J. et al. (2023). Are algorithmically controlled gig workers deeply burned out? BMC Psychology.Demonstrates that burnout and work engagement can be positively correlated.World Health Organisation. ICD-11 Burnout Definition.Defines burnout as chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.Primeast (2025). The Manager’s Guide to Spotting Employee Burnout.Practitioner research on how burnout can coexist with high responsibility and investment at work.DHR Global (2024). Generational burnout findings.Shows Gen Z and millennials report the highest burnout rates across the workforce.About The Position PapersThe Position Papers is a three-part Favourite Positions mini-series on business school, confidence and growth, recorded during Alex’s MBA alongside full-time leadership. Each episode explores the intersection of ambition, identity and modern work.ConnectIf this episode resonated, share it with someone who might need it!You can connect with Alex on LinkedIn and follow Favourite Positions on Instagram for future episodes and resources.Follow Favourite Positions on LinkedIn and Instagram, connect with Alex here.